Michael Tario's Blog: Legal Insights | Tario & Associates, P.S.

by Michael TarioJune 15, 2026Personal Injury Attorney Blog Bellingham0 comments

Suspect Nursing Home Abuse? Know the Warning Signs and Your Legal Options

June is Elder Abuse Awareness Month and June 15 is International Elder Abuse Awareness Day. These are campaigns established in 2006 by the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse to raise awareness about the mistreatment of older adults.

Elder abuse is a serious and often overlooked problem in the United States. It occurs when an older adult is harmed through someone’s actions or failure to act, resulting in physical injury, emotional harm, or financial exploitation. It can also happen when an older person is unable to meet their own basic needs for health, safety, and well-being. Elder abuse can take many forms, including physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation. Self-neglect, in which an older adult is unable or unwilling to care for themselves, is also considered a form of elder abuse.

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by Michael TarioJune 12, 2026Car Accident Attorney Blog Bellingham0 comments

Whatcom County Street Racing Arrests Shine Light on Risk of Street Racing Accidents

Street racing is an illegal and dangerous activity that puts the drivers and passengers involved in the race as well as innocent pedestrians, cyclists, riders, and other motorists and their passengers in grave danger. When drivers engage in high-speed racing on public streets, they drastically reduce their ability to react to unexpected situations, which increases the chance that they will lose control of their vehicle and cause street racing accidents. The intense speeds and aggressive maneuvers associated with road racing can lead to street racing accidents, resulting in catastrophic injuries and even fatalities.

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by Michael TarioJune 9, 2026Car Accident Attorney Blog Bellingham0 comments

How a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Can Help After a Motorcycle Accident or Scooter Accident

National Ride to Work Day is Tuesday, June 9, 2026. Every year, motorcycle and scooter riders are encouraged to trade in their cars or trucks on the second Tuesday of June to celebrate the benefits of commuting on two wheels. While riding can be fun and fuel-efficient, it also comes with risks. Riders have far less protection than people in cars, making them more likely to suffer serious injuries in a motorcycle accident or scooter accident. Even a low-speed crash can cause serious injuries. Broken bones, road rash, head injuries, and back injuries are common. Recovery often means medical bills and missed work, which can lead to financial stress.

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by Michael TarioMay 28, 2026Personal Injury Attorney Blog Bellingham0 comments

Understanding the Timeline for Personal Injury Lawsuit

When a person suffers an injury because of the negligent behavior of another, they may be entitled to pursue a settlement through a personal injury claim. Personal injury attorneys represent injured clients, working to gather evidence to support their claim and negotiate the maximum settlement possible. In about 95 percent of cases, personal injury claims are settled without ever going to trial. Settlements typically fall into two categories:

Pre-suit settlements where the claim is resolved directly with the insurance company through demand letters and negotiations before any formal lawsuit is filed.
In cases where the insurance company refuses to agree to a fair settlement, a personal injury attorney typically files a lawsuit in court to apply legal pressure. The vast majority of these personal injury lawsuits are settled before a judge or jury ever gets involved through renewed negotiation or a mediation or arbitration process.

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by Michael TarioMay 18, 2026Car Accident Attorney Blog Bellingham0 comments

Why Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage Is Essential for Washington Motorcyclists

In honor of Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, let’s talk about how important it is for riders to carry uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage. Motorcyclists are far more likely to suffer severe injuries in a crash than occupants of enclosed vehicles because motorcycles lack the protective structure, crumple zones, and safety restraints found in cars. Unfortunately, serious injuries can lead to expensive medical bills and lost wages due to time off of work recovering. In some cases, permanent disability and/or care expenses may apply.

In a perfect world, every driver would carry car insurance with coverage limits high enough to fully cover the damages they cause in an accident, but that isn’t always the reality. UM/UIM acts as a vital financial safety net against uninsured and underinsured drivers by covering high medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering when another driver’s insurance is insufficient.

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by Michael TarioMay 14, 2026Wrongful Death Blog Bellingham0 comments

Speeding and Reckless Driving Cause Fatal Crash Today in Ferndale, WA

A fatal car accident can change a family’s life forever in a matter of seconds. When a crash is caused by a reckless, impaired, or speeding driver, surviving loved ones are often left not only grieving an unimaginable loss, but also struggling with financial and emotional hardships. Families may suddenly be faced with funeral expenses, lost household income, medical bills, and the painful reality of moving forward without the love, support, and companionship of the person they lost.

Sadly, these tragedies are far too common. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), speed is one of the leading risk factors in serious and fatal traffic collisions because it increases both the likelihood of a crash and the severity of injuries. Excessive speeding is responsible for roughly 30 percent of traffic deaths in high-income countries like the United States.

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by Michael TarioMay 11, 2026Wrongful Death Blog Bellingham0 comments

Wrongful Death Motorcycle Accidents

Because motorcycles are smaller and lack the protective metal frame of a passenger vehicle, motorcyclists are far more vulnerable to fatal injuries in a collision. Drivers often miss motorcyclists in a blind spot or mirror, and many do not understand that motorcycles maneuver differently than larger vehicles. While riders are often unfairly blamed for accidents, more than 50 percent of motorcycle vs. car collisions are caused by a negligent driver in wrongful death motorcycle accidents.

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by Michael TarioMay 5, 2026Personal Injury Attorney Blog Bellingham0 comments

Recovering Damages for Mental Health Issues in Personal Injury Cases

When most people think about personal injury cases, they picture physical injuries, hospital bills, future medical expenses, and time away from work to recover. Those losses are real and they do typically make up the bulk of a personal injury settlement but they are not the whole story. Many injuries leave behind something less visible but just as serious: emotional and psychological harm.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, which makes this a great time to discuss the link between personal injury claims and mental health. If you or a loved one has been injured by another person’s actions, personal injury laws allow you to seek compensation for all damages. This includes the less visible effects of an injury, such as stress and loss of enjoyment of life.

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by Michael TarioApril 30, 2026Car Accident Attorney Blog Bellingham0 comments

4,900 Youth ATVs Recalled after Fatal ATV Accident

All-terrain vehicles (ATVs) are popular for recreation and off-road fun, especially among young riders. However, they also come with serious risks that families should understand. According to national safety data, thousands of ATV-related injuries occur each year in the United States, and hundreds of people are killed in a fatal ATV accident annually. The CPSC reports an average of about 100,000 emergency department-treated injuries each year involving off-highway vehicles (including ATVs). Children are especially vulnerable due to limited experience and the power of these machines. When defective equipment or unsafe conditions are involved, the danger can increase even further.

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by Michael TarioApril 28, 2026Wrongful Death Blog Bellingham0 comments

Multi Vehicle Crash Involving Bicycle Near Bellingham Leads to Injured Cyclist

A 50-year-old Bellingham man was seriously injured in a multi vehicle crash involving a bicycle on northbound Interstate 5 near milepost 247, just north of the Samish Way exit, around 11:07 a.m. on April 21, 2026. According to the Washington State Patrol, the bicyclist was riding legally on the right shoulder when a chain-reaction collision pushed a vehicle into him, forcing him into a guardrail. He was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. His condition has not been released.

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Author: Michael Tario

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